Liquid mixing machine



Jan. 16, 1940. M. K. WILSON LIQUID MIXING MACHINE 1 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed {My 18, 1938 INVENTOR K. WILSON MARK BY v i "(mm/r ATTORNEY:

Patented Jan. 1 6, 1 940 UNITED STATES 2,187,065 LIQUID MIXING MACHINE I Mark King Wilson, chattanoogay'lenn. Application July is, 1938, SerialNo. 219,842

7 Claims. (01. 259-56) 5 My invention relates to liquid mixing machines, .andmoreparticularly to such machines for mixing bottled liquids in the case. Anobject of the invention is to provide amachine which is so constructed as to receive, handle, and deliver cases of bottled liquids efliciently and with a minimum of eifort and operations to be performed by the operator. Another object is to providenovel stop means 1 for retaining the casein the machine for mixing, which, whilebeing initially movable manually to permit the starting of a case into or out of the machine, will be held in retracted position by the case until cleared by the case, when 1 the stop means will automatically advance to operative position;

A further object is the provision of means for adjusting the top of the carriage of the machine to different elevations to accommodate cases of 20 different sizes. y

Another object is to provide novel means for imparting rotary and oscillating motion to the carriage of the machine for mixing, and for I stopping and releasably retainingthe carriage 25 in normal position.

Other objects will 'appear hereinafter. The invention consists in the features, combination and arrangement of parts hereinafter described and particularly pointed out in the 30 claims. x i

' Referring to the drawings,

- Figure l is a partial-cross sectional view of a machine embodying my invention, taken sublocking mechanism for the stop means as seen in Fig. 2.

Fig. 7 is an enlarged, partially sectional elevation through the top member of the carriage showingthe locking pins. l

50 Fig. 8' is a sectional-plan view through the crank lever stop which holds the carriage of the machine in normal position.

In'the drawings, H and I2 represent side plates of the carriage of a liquid mixing machine ems .bodying my invention which carriage is designed to receive a case of bottled liquids for mixing theliquid therein. .The side plates are desirably secured at their lower portions to the side members M of the carriage, as by means of rivets 62 or the like, and cross bar members 25 permanently connect the side plates at their upper ends. Qross members 66 ofthe carriage v extend between and may be attached to the side members M of the carriage, -as by means of bolts 65. Roller members l3 extend between the side members [4 of the carriage and provide the case receiving and supporting surface.

The member I4 atone side of the carriage is provided with a main drive shaft 61 secured thereto by pin l6, and having 'abearing in the bearing bracket .48 which is attached to the channel side support I by means of rivets or bolts 49. The side member M at the opposite side carries shaft l5 secured thereto by pin I I6 and the shaft has bearing in bearing bracket I1 which is attached to the channel support 2 by means of rivets or bolts 18. The outer end of the shaft B'I has secured thereto by pin 5| a small crank arm 50. A pin 41 on the outer end of crank arm 50 is engaged by a connecting link 46 which at its otherend engages a pin 45 carried by the gear 43.. The gear 43iskeyed at 44, to a shaft 42 received in bearing bracket 40 attached to support member I by means of rivets 4|.

A drive gear 68 meshes with the gear 43 and is keyed at 92 (Fig.3) to a shaft 9| having bearingin bracket -93 secured to support 1 as by means of rivets 95. Themain driving crank lever 52 is desirably 5 pivotally attached to the shaft 9|; as by means of pin 15, to permit of swinging movement of the crank lever from and. toward ,the machine, and angular motion ,of the crank outwardly being limited. by means of a pin 16 engaging a part of the machine. Theouter end of thecrank lever 52 is provided with a handle, preferably having a sleeve which isfree to, revolve about the handle pin 69. t

.A crank lever stop is provided at 39 secured to support I as by means of rivets 89 and has projecting lugs 90 between which crank 52 enters to hold the crank and the carriage controlled thereby in normal position. The normal position of the carriage is desirably substantially horizontal and that of the crank arm is desirably substantially vertical when in engagement with the stop 39. To the carriage at the opposite side plate I! thereof is secured a bearing bracket l9, as by means of. rivets 20. A hearing pin 2| is secured pp PATENT" "OF IC to the part I9 and a bell crank lever member 22 is mounted to rotate on the pin 2|. Lever arms or links 59 and 60 are attached to the crank member 22 by means of pins 23, and at their opposite ends are attached to arms 58 by means of pins 6I. Arms 58 are secured to shaft members 54 which extend across the carriage and are rotatably mounted in the side members I4, collars 52' being desirably provided at the ends of the shafts 54 opposite to the crank arms 58. Secured to the intermediate portion of the shafts 54 are stop brackets 55 carrying stop pins or members 56.

The crank arms 58 are desirably disposed to extend in substantially opposite directions from their shafts 54, when the stop members56 are disposed in upright or advanced position, as shown in Fig. 2, to that upon their simultaneous actuation upon movement imparted to the bell crank 22 about the bearing 2I, the stop members are moved by swinging in unison on their shafts 54 toward or from'advanced or operative position.

Secured to crank member 22 is a handle lever 28 having a ball end 80. A plate 39 is rigidly mounted on lever 28 and has lugs 3| extending therefrom and providing supports for a pin 82 on which is pivoted a latch or looking member 29 having an end 33 for engaging in hole 84 extending through plate I2 and a reinforcing plate 24 secured to plate I2, to lock the parts with the stops 56 in advanced or operative position. The opposite end of the latch 29 is disposed adjacent the ball end 86 of the lever 28, so that it is actuated upon grasping of the ball end of the lever to release the lever for operation to retract the stops 56. A spring 8| engages between the latch 29 and plate 30 urging the latch to engage its end 83 into the opening 84. A stop abutment 32 is mounted on the plate 24 and against which the latch member 29 contacts to limit the movement of the lever 28 at its locking position. A spring 63 is secured between the plate 30 of the lever 28 and a member 64 on the carriage to urge the lever to such position advancing the stops 56.

A removable top member for the carriage is provided by a plate member 34 desirably having upstanding flanges provided by a rectangular angle iron frame 33 secured to the member 34. Beneath the plate 34 is secured a fiber plate 35 by means of rivets 36. A pin 26 is secured at each end of the upstanding fiange of the top member 33, and at the opposite side of the top member is provided a plunger 31 at each end, having a spring 38 for urging the plunger outwardly. The plunger 3'! is slidably mounted in aligned openings in frame 33 and an inner bearing bracket 86. A stop collar 8'! is attached to plunger 31 by pin 88 and serves to limit outward movement of the plunger. A pin is secured to the inner end of the plunger to serve as an operating handle. The plungers 31 and pins 26 are adapted to be adjustably and removably disposed in a series of openings 21 in the side plates II and I2 of the carriage to adjust the top member to accommodate cases or containers with bottles of different size. The rows of holes 21 are desirably staggered to provide a fine adjustment.

The side supports I and 2 of the machine are each adjustably supported in a channel base support 3 mounted on an angle iron base 8 having base plates 9. Braces 4 are preferably provided between the base 8 and supports 3. Braces 5 are provided between the supports I and 2. Holes ID are provided-in supports I and 2 to align adjustably with holes inthe members 3, bolts 6 with nuts I being provided to extend through the aligned holes to secure the supports I and 2 in adjusted elevation to the members 3.

In the operation of the machine, the top member of the carriage is adjusted so that the fiber board lining on its under side is disposed adjacent the top of the case or package containing the liquid, desirably with a slight clearance of from to The stop control lever is then moved away from its stop against the action of its spring, which causes the stops 56 to swing below the plane of the top of the rollers I3. A full case of bottled liquid may then be started into the machine, as from a conveyor disposed on a level with the rollers I3, the bottom of the case passing over the st0ps 56. The stop control lever may then be released and the weight of the case holds the stop members down until the rear of the case passes over the rear stop, when the spring on the stop control pulls the lever back to the locked position which raises the stops at each end simultaneously and prevents the case from running out at the forward or delivering end of the carriage, and also definitely retains the case in position during mixing.

The operator then turns the crank lever which is desirably geared to the drive means by a one to two gear and the cam or link and crank mechanism causes the carriage containing the goods to move from a horizontal position through an arc, which desirably may be about degrees. At this point, as indicated in dotted lines in Fig. 4, with the crank still turning in the same direction, the cam gear, or link and crank mechanism, reverses the machine and returns it through the same are back to the horizontal position of the carriage. A decided mixing effect laterally is obtained by the reversing or oscillating movement. The goods are oscillated as many times as may be required for thorough mixing of all the ingredients. The machine may then be locked in the horizontal position of the carriage by allowing the crank to drop into the slot in member 39. The stop control lever is moved to retract the stops 56 and the case of mixed goods is removed from the machine preferably onto a delivery conveyor not shown. The control lever may be released as soon as the forward end of the bottom of the case has engaged over the depressed stop, and the lever and stops will return to locked position under action of the spring, as soon as the case is discharged from the machine. If, however, another case has been started into the carriage, the lever and stops will not return automatically to position until the said case has cleared the stops 56.

In Fig. 5 is shown a modified construction of drive mechanism in which the carriage is to be turned in complete revolutions of 360 degrees in the same direction as long as the crank lever is turned. The main shaft in Fig. 5 is indicated by the numeral H, and which is fastened to the side member I4 by means of pins I6 and to the gear T3 as by means of a key I4, the shaft rotating in a bearing bracket 94 secured to support I as by rivets TI. A shafe 16 also rotates in bearing bracket 94 and carries gear 12 and is driven by crank lever 52 through a pin 75. The crank stop 79 is indicated as attached to the member I as by rivets '18. The operation of this complete rotary form of machine embodying my invention is similar to that of the oscillating rotary type hereinbefore described,jthe crank lever 52 being initially swung slightly outwardlyto clear the recess in the stop member; and then rotated in one direction until isuflicient desired mixing has been obtained, whereupon the crank 52 is re-, turned to position within the slot in the stop member with the, carriage in normal substantiall horizontal position.-

While the invention is particularlyadapted. for. mixing-.bottledliquids in-the case, it is not to be restricted thereto, as liquid in bulk in containers may be mixed in the machine, and modifications may be made in the structure as described without departing from the invention as defined in the appended claims.

1. In a liquid mixing machine, a carriage open at its ends for receiving and delivering a container having therein the liquid to be mixed,- said carriagecomprising side walls, means forming a bottom for said carriage and extending be tween and connecting the side walls, means ex tending between said side walls at the upper portion thereof, and an adjustable top member for said carriage adjustable to different elevations to accommodate containers of varying height received within said carriage, said top member comprising a plate having vertically disposed flanges, pin means in said flanges, and a plurality of openings in the walls of the carriage for selectively receiving said pin means, said pin means comprising. a stationary pin in the flange at one side of said top member, and a pin member mounted for sliding movement in the flange at the opposite side of said top member, and a spring urging said slidable pin outwardly.

2. A liquid mixing machine comprising a pivotally mounted carriage open at its ends for receiving a box or case containing liquid to be mixed, fed to one end of said carriage, and to be delivered from the opposite end thereof, following movement about said pivot for mixing, and stop means at each open end of the carriage adjacent the bottom thereof forming the case receiving surface, and means rendering said stop means movable in unison to position them above the ends of said case supporting bottom surface in case obstructing position or below the ends of said 7 case supporting bottom surface out of case obstructing position, said stop means being carried on transversely disposed rod mounted at each open end of. the carriage for pivotal movement.

, 3. A liquid mixing machine comprising a pivotally mounted carriage open at its ends for receiving a box or case containing liquid to be mixed, fed to one end of-said carriage, and to be delivered from the opposite end thereof, following movement about said pivot for mixing, and stop 'means at each open end of the carriage adjacent the bottom thereof forming the case receiving surface, said stop means at each end being supported on transverse rods for pivotal movement,

and means rendering said stop means movable in unison to position them above the ends of said case supporting bottom surface in case obstructing position or below the ends of said case supporting bottom surface out of case obstructing position, said last named means including a lever pivoted on said carriage and connecting links between said lever and'transverse rods to move the stop means in unison by movement of said lever.

' ceiving surface, said stop means being mounted for pivotal movement on transversely disposed rods at each end of the carriage, and means including a lever pivoted on said carriage, and connecting links between said lever and transverse rods to .movethe stop means in unison by movement, of the. lever,-;to position the stop means above the ends of said case supporting bottom surface in case obstructing position or below the ends of said case supporting bottom surface out of case obstructing position, a fixed stop on the carriage, said lever being spring urged toward said fixed stop to a position advancing said stop means, and latch means releasably retaining said lever in such position.

5. A liquid mixing machine comprising a pivotally mounted carriage open at its ends for receiving a box or case containing liquid to be mixed, fed to one end of said carriage, and to be delivered from the opposite end thereof, following movement about said pivot for mixing, and stop means at each open end of the carriage adjacent the bottom thereof forming the case receiving surface, said stopmeans being mounted for pivotal movement on transversely disposed rods at each end of the carriage, and means including a lever pivoted on said carriage, and connecting links between said lever and transverse rods to move the stop means in unison by movement of the lever, to position the stop means above the ends of said case'supporting bottom surface in case obstructing position or below the ends of said case supporting bottom surface out of case obstructing position,'a fixed stop on the carriage, said lever being movable toward said fixed stop to advance said stop means, a latch pivoted to said lever adjacent the handle end thereof, and spring urged into locking engagement with a portion of the carriage when engaging said fixed stop, said latch retaining said lever in such position until released by grasping the handle of the lever and latch.

6. A liquid mixing machine comprising a pivotally mounted carriage open at its ends for receiving a box or case containing liquid to be mixed, fed to one end of said carriage, and to be delivered from the opposite end thereof, following movement about said pivot for mixing, and stop means at each open end of the carriage adjacent the bottom thereof forming the case receiving surface, and means rendering said stop means movable in unison to position them above the ends of said case supporting bottom surface in case obstructing position or to position them in a retracted position below the ends of said case supporting bottom surface out of case obstructing position, said stop. means being so disposed in retracted position as to be engaged by the bottom of the case in passing thereover, and to beheld in retracted position by the case until the bottom of the case has passed out of engagement with the said stop means.

7. A liquid mixing machine comprising a pivotally mounted carriage open at its ends for receiving a box or case containing liquid to be mixed, fed to one end of said carriage, and to be delivered from the opposite end thereof, following movement about said pivot for mixing, and stop means at each open end of the carriage adjacent the bottom thereof forming the case receiving surface, said step means being mounted for pivotal movement on transversely disposed rods at each end of the carriage, and means including a lever pivoted on said carriage, and connecting lever to said retracted position, and being so disposed in said retracted position as to be engaged by the case in passing thereover, and to be held in retracted position by the case until the bottom of the case has passed out of engagement with the I said stop means. 7

MARK KING WILSON. 

